13 Reasons Why Star Ross Butler on His High-School Years and Asian Visibility in Hollywood

If you’ve been tuning in to Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why or The CW’s Riverdale, then you’ll be familiar with Ross Butler (and you probably also have a crush on him). The actor, previously known for roles on the Disney Channel’s K.C. Undercover and MTV’s Teen Wolf, has had a breakout year on not one, but two of 2017’s massive hit shows, and between his turns as 13 Reasons’ sensitive jock, Zach Dempsey, and Riverdale’s not-so-sensitive jock Reggie Mantle, he’s making major Hollywood moves and busting tired stereotypes while he’s at it. Last week, Riverdale’s creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa broke the news that Ross would not be returning to the show for its second season — a serious bummer, but Ross promises it doesn’t mean there will be less of him on our screens. Here, he discusses the impact of 13 Reasons Why, his high-school days, and his epic game nights.

13 Reasons Why is the most tweeted-about show in Netflix history — no big deal. How did you all react when you heard that news?

I think Christian Navarro [who plays Tony] was the first one to break the news to us. He told me, and then I tweeted it, then some of the other cast members tweeted it. I host game nights, so they all came over and we were like, “Guys, what just happened?” We’re obsessed with so many Netflix shows — Stranger Things, House of Cards — so we couldn’t believe it. It was great.

Wait, I need to hear more about these game nights.

I’d invite my friends and the 13 Reasons cast, because a lot of them live in L.A. I had another one that I wanted the Riverdale people to come to, but they were doing press in Mexico. I think I’m going to have one soon where I’ll mix everybody in. I’m trying to bring social games into the zeitgeist. When you’re in your mid-20s, the go-to social thing is to go to a bar. You order an overpriced drink and hopefully try to start a conversation where all you have in common is that you like to drink. With social games, I bring my friends and maybe they’ll bring a friend or two, and when you’re playing a game, you don’t need to focus on trying to come up with things to talk about.

Who’s the most competitive cast member?

I’d say Justin Prentice, who plays Bryce — he’s such a fun guy, and he gets into it. I love Justin.

Ruben Chamorro

What’s the best reaction you’ve gotten after being on the show?

One of my friends from high school reached out on Facebook. I hadn’t talked to him in a while, but we were both in robotics club back in high school. He was really cool, and I always saw him as this really cheery guy. He reached out and he said, “Yo, I just watched your show. I just wanted to say that, first of all, really proud. You started in robotics and now here you are.” But he told me that he really related to the show because in high school he was depressed and had suicidal thoughts. I had no idea. That really opened my eyes and made me empathize with him. I always put this really happy front in high school. That made me feel really less alone myself and I know that it felt good for him to know that I felt the same way. That really hit me because that’s what we were trying to do — get people to talk about it, and let them know that they’re not alone. It might be the last person that you expect to be feeling those feelings.

The show has stirred up controversy — some have accused it of glamorizing suicide. What do you make of the debate?

I think we did it the way it needed to be done — in the past, there have been other shows and movies about suicide, and I think that this, in order to be something unique and new and fresh, needed to be real. When they were shopping the show around the networks, a lot of the networks didn’t want to show the things that we showed. Mandy Teefey [Selena Gomez’s mother, who co-produced the series with her daughter] stood up and said, “No — if we’re going to do this show, everything has to be seen.” I feel very strongly that we did it the right way.

Can you tell us anything about the rumors of a second season?

And the news broke that you won’t be coming back to Riverdale. Have you been getting a lot of broken heart emojis sent your way on social media?

Yeah, a lot of people have been sad or disappointed. I love the show, but it’s just because I have some upcoming projects that hopefully that I’ll be able to share soon.

What will you miss most about the show?

The cast — I love all of them. The rapport that I have with them … that history we built from shooting the pilot until the finale. Yeah, I’m gonna miss being with them.

You’ve been vocal about Asian visibility in Hollywood. Is it ever intimidating to speak out?

Not really. I don’t want to be super aggressive, but I think it’s an issue that the population of America isn’t reflected accurately in a lot of movies. I’m just disappointed that there isn’t an Asian leading man or an Asian leading woman. There’s an obvious gap that should be filled. I’m an American, but I’m also Chinese. I was born overseas [in Singapore], and I was raised here, and I’m just a part of American culture. I would love to see that reflected in modern culture because I didn’t have that when I was growing up.

It’s significant that these two breakout roles of yours are happening at a time when the conversation about Asian representation in Hollywood is getting more traction. Do you pay attention to casting controversies like the ones that Ghost in the Shell or Doctor Strange brought to light?

They’re always on my radar, but what I’m going for is different than what all the controversies are about. They’re mainly about Asians playing Asian roles. What I’m focusing on is Asians playing non-Asian roles. So I have a different goal — a different end point.

Back to 13 Reasons. Which character aside from Zach did you connect to the most?

I connected a lot with Alex [played by Miles Heizer]. He’s another one of those sweet kids that was pulled into this social group and led astray. He dealt with a lot of loneliness and not being able to express himself. That’s who I connected with when I was in high school. I also related to Clay a little bit. I relate a lot with the softer-spoken ones of the bunch.

So in many ways, you were totally different from both Zach and Reggie.

I wasn’t a jock at all in high school. I was kind of, like, this drifter who, because I’m half white and half Asian, I didn’t really fit in with the Asian crowd, and I didn’t really fit in with my white friends, or at least I didn’t feel like I did. I was so self-conscious. I like to say I was a creature in high school. A weird creature who had my hands in a lot of different things.

Ruben Chamorro

On a scale of Clay to Archie, how did you do with girls when you were in high school?

I definitely wasn’t Archie! I think I was more like Clay in the sense that I was a little naïve. There were girls I had crushes on who wanted nothing to do with me. And I’m pretty sure there were girls who liked me but I didn’t really pick up on it. I just thought we were good friends! I was like, “Oh, you want to see a movie, just with me? Cool.”

Sounds like high school. What in pop culture are you currently obsessing over, the way so many people are obsessing over 13 Reasons Why right now?

Kendrick’s new album. I saw him at Coachella — he blew my mind. I know every word of “Humble.” Oh my god — so good.

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